“Walk slowly,” says Dane, standing on the opposite side of her. “Walk very slowly. No sudden movements.”
It’s another form of torture to slowly cross the room, the delay before I hold her in my arms dragging out interminably. But at last I’m standing over her, forcing myself to stay still and wait for the next instruction.
“Give us your promise again,” says Dane. “Promise not to go after us. Not to hunt, harm, or kill us. Not me, not Liam, none of the other soldiers who may still be living.” He gestures imperceptibly to the man standing behind me. “Promise us.”
This time, I don’t hesitate. I’m a shell of pure need, andnothing else matters but the girl at my feet. “I promise.”
“Okay.” Liam speaks now, and the fear that was giving his voice an edge before is gone. He actually seems to deflate, the tense breath he’s been holding in at last leaving him.
Dane continues. “Lean down. Take her in your arms. Both your arms. Your arms and hands must stay on her at all times, until you are sitting once more in the car. Until you’ve driven away.”
That’s the easiest instruction yet. Though I know he’s giving it to me to make sure I don’t renegue on my promise, and use a free hand to shoot. He’s not quite as trusting as Liam, but he trusts my promise enough to give it a chance.
He’s right. I have no intention of breaking it. The only intention I have right now is to hold Piper.
I bend down, my arms encircling her small frame, and lift her up gently. At once, she nestles in my arms, and my chest twists at feeling her tremble against me.
Her curly hair is matted with mud, and her natural scent is potent with the sweat that’s coating her skin. I guess, objectively, she stinks, but I’ve never smelled anything so good as her. I breathe it in deeply and it settles my stomach.
“Turn your back to us and walk away,” concludes Liam. “We promise not to shoot you. Walk away slowly and no one gets hurt.”
There is nothing I trust less than his version of a promise, but I also know that it would be illogical for him to shoot me. He wouldn’t have gone through all the trouble of saving Piper for me if he’d thought he could take me out with a shot to the back.
Sure enough, none of them move as I walk slowly back toward the door. The masked soldier opens it once more, and I step out into the early morning light, clinging to Piper, unable to believe I’ve got her at last.
Maybe I’m weak for giving up so easily on my revenge, but I suddenly realize I don’t care.
For the first time in my life, my priorities are in order. The thing that matters, the only thing that matters, is Piper. No one else. Nothing else. There is no fucking to-do list anymore. There is only her.
Remembering the instructions to keep both hands on her at all times, I hesitate at the car door. Then, I lift just one finger from her, to tug on the handle. My first thought is relief to see the AK-47 isn’t on my seat anymore. I don’t have to figure out how to nudge it away without using my hands. Huffing out in relief, I slide into the seat, still holding her firmly, then lift the same finger as before to close the door again.
“Piper!” gasps Josh, about to bound forward from the back seat.
“Don’t move,” orders Logan tersely. “We’re not gone yet. Quill, put her in the backseat. On the floor.”
Piper whimpers, clutching my hoodie, but I have no intention of letting her go anyway. “No.”
“She needs to be shielded. Just in case.”
“I’ll shield her with my body,” I say, turning toward him so that my back is facing the window. “But anyway, they won’t shoot.”
My eyes had been glued to the top of Piper’s head, but lifting my eyes for the first time, I notice that Logan’s the one holding the AK-47.
“What are you doing?” I hiss. “I made a promise.”
“Well, I didn’t. And if I had, I wouldn’t give a rat’s ass about breaking it. If you think I’m going to let those fuckers walk free…”
He’s out of the car before he’s even finished his sentence. Then he runs toward the door of the shack and kicks it in.
I guess Liam, Dane and the third soldier had believed the danger was over, because they’re clearly taken by surprise. A single shot rings out from inside the shack, and I push Piper to the floor in front of me, ignoring her stifled protest.
“Get down,” I cry to Josh behind me.
But a moment later, Liam and Dane walk outside, their hands up in surrender, followed by Logan, who’s pointing the gun at them. I guess the shot killed the third soldier.
Logan makes eye contact with me, then lines up my two ex friends so that they’re directly in my view. My old thirst for vengeance rises up feebly within me, but Piper’s hands have twisted themselves around mine, and I don’t want to leave her. Not even for a second. Not even just to stand a few feet away and kill the men who defiled her.
The only satisfaction I am able to derive is from watching another man extract my vengeance for me. Logan lowers the AK-47 so that it’s trained at their feet, and then shoots, first Dane, then Liam.